Diversity of white and narrow-leafed lupin genotype adaptive response across climatically-contrasting Italian environments and implications for selection

White lupin (Lupinus albus) and narrow-leafed lupin (L. angustifolius) have special interest as high-protein feed crops but their cultivation is limited by low grain yields. This study aimed to support breeding programs targeting Italy or other climatically variable south-European regions by investigating within-species adaptation patterns across contrasting Italian environments. An additional aim was comparing species for yielding ability. Eight narrow-leafed and six white lupin cultivars featuring different origin, phenological type (Mediterranean in both species; winter in white lupin; spring in narrow-leafed lupin) and plant architecture (determinate or indeterminate in both species; tall or dwarf in white lupin) were evaluated in a Mediterranean and a subcontinental-climate site under autumn and late-winter sowing. Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction was preferable to joint regression for modeling yield responses. In both species, cross-over GE interaction was observed (P < 0.05), autumn-sown Mediterranean and subcontinental environments were the most-contrasting for GE effects, and widely adapted material included cultivars of Mediterranean phenological type with indeterminate growth. Material with determinate growth was not among the best-yielding entries in any environment, whereas a dwarf winter-type white lupin entry was specifically adapted to autumn-sown subcontinental environments. White lupin displayed larger genetic variation than narrow-leafed lupin for phenology and other traits. Relationships of morphophysiological traits with grain yield were environment-specific and were locally high for some white lupin traits (early flowering, long reproductive phase, high aerial biomass, low proportion of pod wall). White lupin exhibited higher yielding ability than narrow-leafed lupin in all environments but the late-winter sown Mediterranean one, when comparing locally top-yielding cultivars.     

Biplot analysis of trait relations of white lupin in Spain

A 2-year study of autumn-sown white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) was conducted under rainfed Mediterranean conditions in southern Spain. 108 landraces were evaluated for yield and major phonological and plant structural characteristics. Path coefficient and Genotype-Trait (GT) biplot analysis were used. Applying both types of analyses to the multiple trait data revealed that GT biplot graphically displayed the interrelationships among traits and facilitated visual comparison of accessions and selection. Wide variation was observed for trait phenology (dates of flowering and maturity), plant structure (plant and first order inflorescence height) and yield characters (first order branches, first order inflorescence and total yield). It was found that the accessions with the highest yields were the tallest and the latest to flower, both on the mainstem and on the lowest first order branch, and also were the latest to mature. GT biplots also had suggested as the accessions have been displayed according to their origins. The results showed that foreign germplasm may be an important material for improving some yield components such as number of pods and seeds per plant of locally adapted lupins in Spain. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Influence of Water Stress on Grain Yield and Vegetative Growth of Two Cultivars of Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Lack of water during vegetative and/or reproductive growth stages is one of the most limiting factors for bean growth. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of water stress applied during two phenological stages (flowering and pod filling) on growth, yield and yield components. Two genotypes of bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were used in this study, cv. Carioca, an indeterminate Brazilian landrace, and cv. Prince, a determinate cultivar grown in Europe. Carioca appears to be generally stress-tolerant while Prince is intolerant. Plants were grown in large plastic pots covered with a black plastic sheet to protect the soil from rain and evaporation. The water stress treatments were: control (well-watered plants), WSFS (water stress during flowering stage) and WSPFS (water stress during pod-filling stage). Water stress reduced yield and yield components at both flowering and pod-filling stages. The parameters affected were seed weight, number of seeds per plant and number of pods per plant. Number of seeds per pod and seed weight were not affected. No effects of water stress were detected on harvest index. Time to maturity was slightly prolonged, especially for WSFS. Water stress at both stages resulted in lower accumulated water loss compared to the control plants. Water stress during both phenological stages reduced other growth parameters, the number of trifoliate leaves, stem height, number of main branches and number of nodes on the main stem.     

The Interaction of Sowing Date and Water Availability in Determining Plant Architecture, Fruiting Pattern and Yield Components of Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.)

A 2-year trial has been carried out in northern Italy on soybean (cv. Hodgson) grown in lysimeters, comparing three soil water regimes (well-watered conditions and water stress during vegetative and reproductive stages) at two sowing dates. Plant evapotranspiration and water uptake depth were calculated from volumes of water independently supplied to eight lysimeter layers; at harvest, plant architecture, yield components and fruit distribution along the main stem and lateral branches were evaluated.
Although water stress intensity was not severe, crop evapotranspiration and water uptake depth were severely restricted by water shortage. Both low water-availability and late sowing significantly modified the architecture of plants, decreasing total height, number and length of internodes and lateral branches. Seed allocation along the stem was shifted downwards both by delaying the sowing date and by reducing the water supply; the component most responsible for yield decrease was the number of pods per plant, while unit seed weight was only slightly affected by water stress. Grain yield reduction was higher when water availability was inadequate during the reproductive phase in the early-sown crop and during the vegetative stage in the late-sown crop. This suggests that the intensity of the water shortage, plant phenological stage of stress application, as well as the date of stress application within the growing season determine the yield response of soybean.     

Path analysis of the relationships between seed yield and some morphological and phenological traits in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

Path analysis was performed on plant characters of six safflower genotypes grown in a two year field experiment to determine for seed yield, the direct and indirect effects of the following traits: total biomass, stem yield, number of primary branches/plant, number of secondary branches/plant, number of seeds/m², number of seeds/capitulum, number of capitula/plant, capitulum diameter, 1000-seed weight, seed weight/capitulum, distance between ground level and the first fertile branch, plant height, number of days to the beginning of branching, number of days to the beginning of flowering, number of days to 50% flowering, number of days to full flowering and flowering duration. Seed yield was significantly correlated with the following traits: total biomass, stem yield, capitulum diameter, 1000-seed weight, seed weight/capitulum, distance between ground level and the first fertile branch, number of days to the beginning of branching and flowering duration. Total biomass, seed weight/capitulum, distance between ground level and the first fertile branch, 1000-seed weight and flowering duration had substantial direct effects, in that order, on enhancement of seed yield. The significant positive correlation coefficient of capitulum diameter with seed yield resulted from positive indirect effects of total biomass, seed weight/capitulum and 1000-seed weight. Conversely, the significant negative correlations between number of days to the beginning of branching and distance between ground level and the first fertile branch and seed yield resulted from negative indirect effects of the same three traits. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that 94% of the total variation in seed yield could be explained by variation in total biomass and by number of days to the beginning of branching (84 and 10%, respectively). Results suggest that total biomass and number of days to the beginning of branching are primary selection criteria for improving seed yield in safflower.     

生育期结构不同的大豆品种的光周其反应和农艺性状

分别选用成熟期相近、开花期不同及开花期相近、成熟期不同的南方春、夏大豆品种,研究了生育期结构与开花前、后光周期反应敏感性的关系。结果表明,大豆品种生育前、后期长短与它们在该期的光周期反应敏感性正相关。在生育期相近的前提下,前期长度与开花促进率（ＦＨＲ）、后期长度与成熟促进率（ＭＨＲ）正相关;开花期相近的品种,后期长度与ＭＨＲ值正相关。部分品种不符合以上趋势,反映出上述相关的复杂性。在生育期相近的南     

Early Generation Selection for Grain Yield in Narrow-Leaf Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.)

Experiments were conducted with early segregating generations of a selected narrow-leaf lupin cross to determine the effectiveness of selection for yield based on alternative criteria. F2 plants were selected on the basis of seed yield and several other yield-related characters to generate separate F3 populations. Randomly selected plants from each population were grown over the summer (off-season) in a glasshouse to generate F4 populations. Analyses of relationships between F2 plant measurements and F3 progeny mean yields revealed significant correlations only for those characters with the highest heritabilities - flowering time, 100 seed weight and harvest index. However, selection for the earliest flowering F2 plants followed by selection within this group of plants with the highest number of pod bearing branches would result in the greatest increase in F3 mean yield. The F2-derived F4 populations with the highest seed yields were those obtained by selection for total plant dry weight, number of pod bearing branches and number of pods per plant. Improvement in commercial crop yield should therefore be obtained through selection in early generations for those characters contributing to the greatest number of pods per unit area. A scheme involving selection for early flowering and high number of pod bearing branches in the F2 combined with replicated yield tests in the F4 is proposed.     

Comparative study on growth and development of some accessions of local Germplasm of Bambara groundnut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna subterrenea</Emphasis> L. Verdc.) of Nigeria in two cropping seasons

Two field experiments were conducted in April (early cropping) and August, (late cropping) 2007 at the Department of Crop Science Research Farm, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to evaluate the agronomic and yield attributes of 13 cultivars of bambara groundnut. The results obtained showed that planting dates had significant effects (P < 0.05) on all traits measured. Significant cultivar and cultivar x planting date interaction effects were observed for days to 50% flowering. The principal component analysis showed that the first three components accounted for 85.18 and 86.81% of the total variation in the early and late planting, respectively. The traits representing the cultivars along the first principal axis were number of pods per plant and seed weight per plant for the early planting and number of leaves per plant and seed weight per plant in the late planting. Cultivars were differentiated on the basis of number of flowers per plant and plant height for the early planting and days to emergence for the late planting along the second principal axis. The cluster plot revealed that the 13 bambara groundnut cultivars were grouped into three clusters at both the early and late planting dates. In the early planting, the cultivars in cluster I are associated with high number of flowers, number of pods, and plant height, while cluster II cultivars flowered earlier and had good pod and seed yield. However, cluster III cultivars performed poorly in all the traits evaluated. During the late planting, the cluster I comprised early flowering cultivars while cluster II comprised cultivars with good vegetative growth, high number of pods per plant and seed weight per plant. Cluster III cultivars are early emerging and early flowering but have poor seed yield. The correlation coefficient for seed weight per plant was highly significant and positive with number of leaves per plant, plant height, number of flowers per plant and number of pods per plant indicating that increase in these traits will ultimately increase seed weight per plant. Thus, these traits could be considered as major seed yield contributing traits that could be given significant recognition during selection.     

The association of sexuality with plant traits and tuber yield in white yam

Summary One 3-to 5-year clonal and two recent seedling-derived populations of white yam cultivars were grown and studied for the association of sex, flowering intensity, number of fruits and seed yield with vegetative characters and tuber yield. Yield was lowest in non-flowering plants and increased in the following order: male, monoecious and female plants; with females yielding almost twice as much as the non-flowering plants. The plants produced from small tuber setts, with higher leaf virus infection, low plant leafiness either had low flowering intensity, fewer fruits and seeds or even failed to flower. The sequence and timing of vegetative and reproductive processes in relation to the difference in yield between male and female plants is discussed. There is a strong indication that the intensity of flowering and fruiting is lower in plants from previous vegetative propagation compared to recent seedling-serived clones.     

Yield, yield components and plant architecture in the F3 generation of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) derived from a cross between the determinate cultivar ‘Prelude’ and an indeterminate landrace

Growth trials were conducted outdoors in the UK to determine the yield, yield components and plant architectural differences between determinate and indeterminate Phaseolus vulgaris bean plants. F3 lines derived from crosses between ‘Prelude’, a determinate cultivar and ‘V8’, an indeterminate landrace, were grown together with the parents and ‘Carioca’, an indeterminate landrace from Brazil. Data were recorded on flowering date, number of nodes on main stem at flowering, plant height at maturity, number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, number of seeds/plant, 100-seed weight, seed mass/plant, percentages of diseased and healthy seeds/plant. Determinate F3 lines had significantly lower (P < 0.05) seed mass/plant, fewer pods/plant, fewer seeds/pod, fewer seeds/plant, lower harvest index, shorter stems, earlier date of flowering, fewer nodes at flowering and fewer healthy seeds/plant than indeterminate F3 lines. However, determinate genotypes had significantly larger (P < 0.05) pods to accommodate their larger seeds compared with indeterminate lines. A similar situation was found when the yield and yield components of ‘V8’, ‘Prelude’ and ‘Carioca’ were evaluated; the highest seed mass/plant was given by ‘V8’ and the lowest by ‘Prelude’. Furthermore, some indeterminate genotypes with Type IV growth habit yielded significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the high-yielding parent, ‘V8’, indicating a positive influence on seed yield by crossing different genotypes.     

Variation and association analysis in coriander

Summary Two hundred genotypes of Coriandrum sativum L. exhibited genetic variation for plant height, primary and effective branches, days to flowering and maturity, umbels and umbellets per plant, grains per umbellet, thousand seed weight, straw yield and grain yield per plant and harvest index. Heritability estimates were high for days to flowering, thousand seed weight and days to maturity; moderate for plant height, straw yield, umbels per plant, umbellets per plant and number of primary branches; and low for harvest index, effective branches, grain yield per plant and grains per umbellet. Phenotypic correlations of grain yield per plant were highly significant and positive with umbellets per plant, umbels per plant, number of effective branches, straw yield per plant, number of primary branches, plant height, number of grains per umbellet and harvest index. Maximum direct contribution to grain yield per plant was made by umbellets per plant, followed by straw yield per plant, umbels per plant and grains per umbellet. Umbellets per plant made sizeable indirect effect via straw yield per plant. Straw yield per plant made sizeable indirect contribution via umbellets per plant.     

播期对山旱地区紫苏产量及品质的影响

研究了甘肃山旱地区不同播期对紫苏生长发育、产量和品质的影响,结果表明,随着播期的推迟,紫苏花期和生育期缩短,单株分枝数、单株穗数、千粒重、单株产量及单位面积产量先升高再降低;紫苏子粒含油量、蛋白质含量随播期的延后呈下降趋势。在甘肃天水海拔1 600m左右的山旱地区,紫苏的适宜播期为4月9日左右。     

An evaluation of an index method of selection for high yield in turnip rape,Brassica campestris L. ssp. oleifera Metzg

Summary Substantial variation in yield, its primary components and several vegetative characters which influence yield was observed among a series of families drawn at random from a low erucic acid variety of turnip rape. A sib analysis of family means showed all characters to have relatively high heritabilities, although yield was, together with seed weight and specific leaf weight, in a group having the lowest values.Several characters, including flowering time, leaf area and leaf weight, had appreciably higher heritabilities than yield, however, none appeared to be a suitable alternative criterion for selection as the expected correlated responses to selection for these characters were lower than the direct response to selection for yield. The expected genetic advance in yield from the simultaneous selection for a number of these characters using a selection index technique, was significantly greater than that expected from selection for yield alone. Selection indices based either on yield components or vegetative characters were, at best, only as efficient as selecting directly for yield. Several indices including measurements of both yield components and vegetative characters were, however, expected to facilitate a greater rate of advance in yield than direct selection.The practical value of such indices in improving rapeseed yields in Western Australia was discussed with reference to the additional costs involved in their use and their accuracy in environments where genotype x environment interactions are likely to be high.     

株型对棉株14C同化物生产及运转分配的影响

运用 14 C示踪技术 ,研究了简化整枝与早打主茎顶心、少留果枝改变株型对 14 C同化物生产分配的影响。结果表明 ,简化整枝蕾期、花铃期果枝叶的光合作用强度和14 C同化量均低于对照 ,且　14 C同化物向主茎和果枝的分配比例也较对照降低。简化整枝早打主茎顶心 ,可提高花铃期果枝叶、叶枝叶的光合作用强度和 14 C同化物向叶枝的分配比例。反映到产量和产量构成因素上 ,表现为简化整枝主茎结铃减少 ,叶枝结铃可弥补其损失 ,单铃重和衣分略有降低 ;简化整枝早打主茎顶心增加了叶枝结铃数 ,且单铃重和衣分略有提高。但处理间的皮棉产量均无显著差异     

Development and Yield Formation of Autumn- and Spring-sown Faba Beans in Northern Germany as Affected by Seasons, Sowing Dates and Varieties

Field trials were conducted with autumn- and spring-sown faba beans in Northern Germany during four seasons to examine the expected preceding development of autumn-sown plants, its possible transformation into a higher yield potential and its dependence on sowing dates and varieties. Height, appearance of leaves, inflorescences, mature flowers, potential and actual pot set was rated weekly, and flower initiation and tillering occasionally. Comparison was made for one winter type sown in autumn and spring, and between 6 winter types and 3 spring types, in two seasons each.
Development of autumn-sown plants significantly preceded that of spring-sown in each year, regardless of the plant material used. The mean advance, diminished considerably with time due to prolonged developmental phases in autumn-sown plants which, however, did not improve vegetative, generative or reproductive potentials of main tillers. Potentials formed by the six winter types, interacted strongly with the seasons, at least in part due to changing plant densities. Thus, only a very few traits appeared typical: a short stature with few leaves for Avrissot and the opposite for Bourdon , a high number of ripening pods for Avrissot and a low number for Banner . Early compared to late sowing in autumn increased the number of leaves, and in one year even the number of mature flowers and ripening pods per tiller, but values of early sowing never exceeded those of spring sowing. Enhancement of tiller formation by early compared to late sowing diminished after spring; nevertheless about two reproductive tillers per plant in autumn-sown stands always led to a higher density of tillers than in spring-sown.     

甘白远缘杂交新材料单株产量与农艺性状的相关性分析

为了明确甘白远缘杂交新材料各性状对单株产量影响,促进新材料在育种中的应用,对133个远缘杂交BC₁F₄后代株系的农艺性状,进行了变异分析、相关分析、通径分析和主成份分析。结果表明,远缘杂交后代农艺性状中主序无效角果数变异最大,株高的变异最小。单株产量与株高、分枝高度、主序有效长度、一次分枝数、主序无效角果数、每果粒数和千粒重呈正相关,其中与株高呈极显著关系。影响单株产量的主要性状为株高、分枝高度,二次分枝角果数和主序有效角果数。主成份分析可将相关性状综合为5大类,其中第一、三为产量控制性状,其余依次为株高控制性状、主序控制性状和分枝控制性状。因此,本研究中甘白远缘杂交后代的单株产量主要受株高、分枝高度、二次分枝角果数和主序角果数的影响。本研究结果对于充分利用甘白杂交后代优良性状,选育优良品种提高有价值参考。     

Variance components and heritabilities of yield and agronomic traits among cowpea genotypes

The phenotypic expression and heritability of quantitative traits vary due to genotypic differences, environmental influences and genotype by environment interactions. The objective of this study was to determine variance components and heritabilities of seed yield and its components in cowpea. Field experiments were conducted at three locations, three planting dates using ten diverse cowpea genotypes during 2004/2005. The experiments were laid out in the randomized complete block design with three replications. Results indicated significant interactions (P ≤ 0.01) among genotypes, locations and planting dates. The genotypic variance contributed ≥50% of the total phenotypic variance for the numbers of days to 50% flowering, seeds per pod, productive branches per plant and seed yield. The heritabilities of the numbers of days to 50% flowering were estimated at 50%, pods per plant (23%), days to maturity (66%), productive branches per plant (53%), 100 seed weight (11%) and seed yield (55%). The presence of considerable degree of genotypic variance among tested genotypes under various environments suggests that success in cowpea breeding could possibly be achieved through direct phenotypic selection.     

Modelling phenological and agronomic adaptation options for narrow-leafed lupins in the southern grainbelt of Western Australia

Australian modern narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) cultivars tend to flower early and are vernalisation-unresponsive (VU). Cultivars have generally been selected for the warmer climates zones and sandy soils of the northern grain belt of Western Australia (NWA), where lupins are predominantly grown. In areas where climates are cooler and growing seasons are longer and wetter, such as the southern grain belt of Western Australia (SWA), it is probable that lupin would have a higher yield potential. Given that VU cultivars would have a longer vegetative phase (i.e. late flowering) we hypothesise that they may be more productive than those that are early flowering. Here we used a modelling approach to: 1) test the hypothesis that cool-climate SWA would have higher lupin yield than warm-climate NWA; 2) explore lupin phenological adaptation and yield potential in SWA over a range of proposed VU cultivars; and 3) further evaluate the combined effects of cultivar phenology, sowing time and seasonal type on lupin yields.Simulations from the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) showed that, on average, lupin yield in SWA was higher than that in NWA, with 23% greater yield for the early-flowering cultivar Mandelup. Proposed cultivars flowering 22 days (late-flowering) and 15 days (medium flowering) later than Mandelup would have their phenology better adapted in the high and medium rainfall zones of SWA, producing 16 and 7% more grain in the two rainfall zones, respectively. The proposed late-flowering cultivar sown before the end of April achieved higher yields for all seasons in the high rainfall zone and for above average and average rainfall seasons in the medium rainfall zone. In more water-limited situations early sowing was preferable with no obvious difference in yield among cultivars. Despite this, the early-flowering cultivar yielded more when sown in late April. The results indicate that lupin production would benefit from breeding VU varieties with a long vegetative phase for the SWA that should be sown in mid to late April.     

去早果枝对转基因抗虫棉生长发育与衰老进程的调控效应

 以转基因抗虫棉品种为材料,设置了2个播期和4种去早果枝方式（去基部1个、2个、3个果枝及不去果枝的对照）处理,研究去除早期果枝对棉花生长发育及衰老进程的影响。2年结果表明,去早果枝推迟了棉花的生育进程;去掉1个早果枝处理总果枝数与对照无差异,但去掉2个、3个果枝后明显低于对照,总果节数差异不显著;去早果枝显著提高了第1播期棉花叶面积指数和干物质积累量,去1个、2个和3个果枝处理的干物质积累量在2年中平均比对照高13.5%,17.5%,19.0%,但在第2播期差异不明显;去早果枝降低了第1播期棉花脱落率和烂铃率并提高了棉花的子棉产量,脱落率在2年中平均比对照降低4.5,5.8和9.0百分点,烂铃率平均降低2.2,4.5,4.8百分点;去1个和2个果枝处理的子棉产量在2年的第1播期中比对照平均高9.6%和8.1%,但在第2播期增产不明显,甚至减产。     

Seed yield and its components in smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) cultivars

Summary Seed yield performance and effect on seed yield of morphological traits such as seeds/panicle, seed weight, seeds/branch, branches/2nd node, branches/panicle, fertile tillers/plant and panicle length were evaluated in 13 cultivars of smooth bromegrass in a spaced-plant nursery. Wide variation was observed between and within cultivars for seed yield and traits. Highly significant correlation coefficients were found among traits and seed yield. Path analysis showed that specifically seeds/panicle and seed weight had strong direct effect on seed yield. It was concluded that seeds/panicle and seed weight were primary selection criteria for seed yield in smooth bromegrass.